The purpose of this study is to explore individuals perceptions of competence development and workplace motivation. It aims to identify the mechanisms through which competence development influences motivation. The study was conducted through a qualitative research method where the data was collected through twelve employees and managers within one organization. The study integrated thematic analysis to explore how competence development influences work motivation, guided by the self-determination theory. Findings highlighted that competence development, established with effective feedback, recognition, peer influence, collaboration, and supportive organizational cultures significantly boost both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation, and enhances organizational outcomes. Aligning these initiatives with employees’ needs is essential for optimizing organizational effectiveness.

Date: 05/29/2024 Level: Bachelor Thesis in Business Administration, 15 ECTS. Department: School of Business, Society and Engineering, Mälardalen University Authors: Kevin Forsberg (2002/03/08), Warda Jama Hussein (2000/02/19), Jimmy Tolis (1998/11/18). Title: How does white-collar workers’ perception of AI impact their work motivation from an SDT perspective?  Supervisor: Edward Gillmore Keywords: AI, autonomy, competence, motivation, self-determination theory, flexibility, confidence, control, influence.  Research question: How do white-collar workers perceive the potential impact of AI on their work motivation? Method: Utilizing the phenomenon of digitalization amongst white-collar workers as the empirical context, a quantitative research approach was adopted. The primary data was collected through a questionnaire that was distributed among white-collar workers within a Logistic & Supply chain company. Conclusion: The results of this research show that white-collar workers perceive that AI will enhance the sense of autonomy and competence, which in turn will increase their expected work motivation.

Environmental education (EE) programming has been found to lead to positive behavioral and attitudinal outcomes in student participants. Among a variety of factors, the characteristics of EE program instructors have been found to play a role in driving these outcomes. This thesis investigates the specific motivators of EE instructors and the links between instructor autonomy, prior experience, and program outcomes. I used a multi-methods approach to investigate these themes and have organized the results between two chapters that are manuscripts intended as separate journal publications. Chapter 2 presents a qualitative study that identifies the salient motivators of EE instructors, as well as organizational practices that affect EE instructor feelings of autonomy, competence, relatedness, and the meaningfulness these instructors feel within their jobs. Chapter 3 presents a quantitative study analyzing the impact of autonomy and prior experience on program outcomes by linking instructor and student participant survey responses from a sample of 166 EE programs performed throughout 57 different organizations across the US. Results led to the following recommendations for EE organizations: (1) promote job enrichment elements for their instructional staff, including the implementing of participatory evaluation processes; (2) encourage instructors to take "ownership" of programming, such that they continue to practice and develop competence over time; (3) increase instructor autonomy as they gain further experience. / Master of Science / Environmental education (EE) programming has been found to lead to positive behavioral and attitudinal outcomes in student participants. Among a variety of factors, the characteristics of EE program instructors have been found to play a role in driving these outcomes. This thesis investigates the specific motivators of EE instructors and the links between instructor autonomy, prior experience, and program outcomes. I used a multi-methods approach, employing semi-structured interviews and surveys to investigate these themes, and have organized the results between two chapters that are manuscripts intended as separate journal publications. Chapter 2 presents a qualitative study that identifies the salient motivators of EE instructors, as well as organizational practices that affect EE instructor feelings of autonomy, competence, relatedness, and the meaningfulness these instructors feel within their jobs. Chapter 3 presents a quantitative study analyzing the impact of autonomy and prior experience on program outcomes by linking instructor and student participant survey responses from a sample of 166 EE programs performed throughout 57 different organizations across the US. Results led to the following recommendations for EE organizations: (1) promote job enrichment elements for their instructional staff, including the implementing of participatory evaluation processes; (2) encourage instructors to take “ownership” of programming, such that they continue to practice and develop competence over time; (3) increase instructor autonomy as they gain further experience. This research provides information to better EE organizational management in the aims of promoting motivated employees and ultimately effective program outcomes.

The aim for this study is to analyze teachers’ view on coloring and their perception of student motivation at vocational upper secondary school programs history class in Sweden. Five semi-structured interviews were conducted with five history teachers who taught at the same school and have experience of teaching the history course for vocational programs. The interviews were analyzed in relation to self-determination theory and vertical and horizontal knowledge. The result showed that students following vocational programs were seen as less motivated towards the subject of history than the students following theoretical programs. However, upon closer analysis the differences were found to correlate more with the teachers’ perceptions of the student’s inner motivation than the programs being followed. These groups provided an inner motivation for the students and the deciding outcome for how hard they were going to work at the course. At the same time, they performed better in the subject of Swedish than in history. This can be interpreted as the students adopting an autonomous-or inner motivation because they were willing to work harder on a subject that they deemed as more important for their future vocation. The results also showed that teachers’ use of coloring knowledge related to the perception of their student’s future salary and that this image contributed to the students’ loss of inner motivation and to a focus on external motivation in relation to the students’ future vocation. Teachers perceive that students following vocational programs want knowledge that gives them an understanding of society. However, as vocational programs devote fewer hours to subjects such as history and Swedish, they do not have time to study these subjects in as much depth. The time limitations and coloring of horizontal knowledge made the vocational students experience fewer opportunities of vertical knowledge. This means the information that they saw as relevant and interesting, such as modern history, is limited. This is as consequence of the curriculum dividing students into vocational -and academic students. This potentially limits the students in their learning about democratic public discourse. Students following vocational programs are perceived by their teachers as less motivated to achieve higher grades, or to work to get a pass grade, even when their teachers perceive they have the ability to achieve a pass or higher grade. This connects to the course plan’s structure by people in power, giving them no chance for higher education when graduating, and the grades are in the hands of the teachers.

Given the high rates of treatment drop-out and non-compliance within empirically-based treatments for OCD, it is important to increase our understanding of factors that impact the treatment process. Two studies were conducted to evaluate the clinical utility of the Obsessive Compulsive Consequences Scale-Revised (OCCS-R) and increase understanding of the relationships between the prognostic factors of motivation, insight, treatment compliance and treatment outcome. Study 1 used maximum likelihood Confirmatory Factor Analysis to show the OCCS-R's four factor solution was an adequate fit in a sub-clinical college population. Study 2 evaluated the clinical utility of the OCCS-R for predicting treatment outcome and its relationship to identified predictor variables. The OCCS-R predicted treatment drop-out but did not predict symptom improvement. Some support was found for predicted relationships between the OCCS-R and its factors, a general measure of motivation and treatment compliance. No variables predicted symptom improvement. Insight and initial symptom severity predicted treatment motivation which in turn predicted treatment compliance. / Ph. D.

Med utgångspunkt i den aktuella skol- och samhällsdebatten gällande PIRLS 2021, som visaratt svenska elevers intresse för läsning har försvagats, ville vi undersöka fenomenethögläsning. Denna studie undersöker högläsning utifrån tre olika perspektiv: lärare, elev ochvårdnadshavare. Studien är koncentrerad till att omfatta elever i årskurs 3 och berörhögläsning i både hem- och skolmiljö. Utifrån studiens frågeställningar undersöker vi ivilken omfattning lärare och vårdnadshavare högläser, vilka prioriteringar och utmaningarlärare uttrycker gällande högläsning samt hur eleverna upplever högläsningen i både skolanoch hemmet. Studien utgår från de teoretiska perspektiven litteracitet, sociokulturelllärandeteori, kognitivism samt grundläggande motivationsteorier. Det teoretiska ramverketsträvar efter att kasta ljus över den komplexa dynamiken mellan högläsning, språkutvecklingoch motivation inom svenskämnet. En kvalitativ forskningsmetod där intervjuer tillämpadesi kombination med kvantitativa inslag i form av en enkätundersökning ligger till grundstudiens insamlade empiri. Vidare kan studien förstås utifrån ramarna för en fallstudie, då tvåolika skolor i skilda socioekonomiska områden omfattas. Totalt innefattar studien femlärarintervjuer, 24 elevintervjuer samt en enkätundersökning bestående av 40 vårdnadshavare.Studiens resultat visar att det föreligger stor diskrepans gällande i vilken omfattning såvällärare som vårdnadshavare högläser inom de två olika skolområdena, vilket påverkarelevernas tillgång till litteracitetspraktiker. Även om lärarna uttrycker en enighet kring atthögläsning gynnar språkutvecklingen, visar studien att lärarna prioriterar högläsning olikaoch har en splittrad syn på aktivitetens primära syfte. En gemensam upplevelse hos lärarna äratt organisatoriska-, grupp- och individrelaterade utmaningar föreligger, vilket begränsarderas handlingsutrymme. Resultatet visar att samtliga elever efterfrågar mer högläsningoavsett skolområde samt att möjlighet till delaktighet vid litteraturval skiljer sig åt. Vidareuppskattas lärarens läsinlevelse och engagemang kring högläsningspraktiken. Det föreliggeren varierad grad av stöttning och stor variation i språklig input inom ramarna förhögläsningen såväl i skolan som i hemmet. Studiens slutsats är att de elever som har störstbehov av högläsning utifrån ett språkutvecklande perspektiv, erhåller minst.

The aim of this study was to examine the manner in which verbal rewards are conveyed toaudit assistants and how they affect their motivation within a professional context. Toachieve this, the theoretical framework delved into existing research concerning variousways in which verbal rewards can be conveyed. Additionally, theories on different formsof motivation were highlighted.The study employs a qualitative approach to facilitate the collection of in-depth data thatcan offer a nuanced understanding of the relationship between verbal rewards andmotivation. Specifically, a qualitative personal method has been utilized throughsynchronous interviews, indicating direct interaction between the researchers andrespondents. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, with a foundation in the topicsof the study’s theories but allowing flexibility to enable deeper discussions and reflections.Two primary categories of verbal rewards received by audit assistants, namely sincereinformative and concise, have surfaced as key patterns from the study’s results. Theanalysis clarifies that the manner in which a verbal reward is conveyed contributes todifferent effects on motivation, thereby confirming existing research. The study’s results,however, challenge certain assertions regarding how specific characteristics withincategories of verbal rewards impact the two different forms of motivation, autonomousand controlling. In conclusion, the study finds that sincere informative verbal rewardspredominantly exert an enhancing effect on autonomous motivation, but also on acomponent of controlled motivation. Concise verbal rewards demonstrate a limitedenhancement of autonomous motivation but a more pronounced increase in controlledmotivation. In summary, the study has revealed clear patterns on how verbal rewards areconveyed to audit assistants, and although the effects on their motivation has varied, thestudy can establish that verbal rewards influence their motivation.

This dissertation investigates the links between lesson characteristics, student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy outcomes at a residential environmental education (EE) program. I developed a novel methodology using observations of 81 lessons at the study site to isolate the characteristics hypothesized to influence student engagement, self-determination, and outcomes of environmental literacy. Student surveys provided self-reported data on student engagement, selfdetermination, and environmental literacy. Mixed-methods analyses allowed me to explore these links within the 81 lessons observed in this case study. The results are organized into five chapters: an introduction chapter; three manuscripts planned for stand-alone publication (Chapters 2 - 4); and a conclusion chapter. Chapter 2 reports on the links between student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy. Chapter 3 provides insights on the links between the lesson characteristics (e.g., educator characteristics, teaching approaches, and schoolteacher/chaperone behaviors) and environmental literacy outcomes. Chapter 4 investigates the degree to which measures of student engagement, observed or self-reported, are associated with environmental literacy outcomes. Chapter 5 summarizes the findings from this study and presents additional analyses intended to fully synthesize the links between lesson characteristics, student engagement, self-determination, and environmental literacy. This study provides a novel methodology and survey items that may be of use to both practitioners and researchers. This research offers useful information about why and how EE works in this case and some of the specific characteristics and practices that engender positive environmental literacy outcomes. / Ph. D.

The Effects of Age, Employment, Marriage, and Education on Academic Motivation in Undergraduate Nursing Students Purpose: The amount of research on non-cognitive variables affecting motivation is limited in nursing students. By using Self-Determination Theory, faculty can determine what motivates students to learn which will allow the creation of a learning environment that promotes student achievement. Aim: To determine the effect age, marriage status, employment, and education level have on academic motivation in nursing students in the third semester of a baccalaureate nursing program within the framework of Self-Determination Theory. Method: A descriptive correlational design was used to identify the effect age, marriage status, employment, and education level have on intrinsic motivation and extrinsic motivation in third semester nursing students (n = 39). After IRB approval, a link to an electronic demographic survey and Academic Motivation Scale-College Version 28 (AMS-C28) was distributed to students. Using SPSS-22, four independent t-tests were conducted to determine if differences existed between extrinsic and intrinsic motivation and the variables age, marriage status, employment status, and education level. Results: The findings indicated the following variables had statistically significant relationships with extrinsic motivation: age (t=-2.108, df=30, p=.017, one-tailed) and employment (t=-2.117, df=37, p=.006, one-tailed). Intrinsic motivation was not statistically significant with any variable. Based on these results, unemployed students over 25 are more likely to be extrinsically motivated to learn. Conclusion: Understanding how non-cognitive variables affect motivation will assist nursing faculty in providing a learning environment that will increase student motivation to learn and graduate. Increasing graduation rates can positively affect the nursing workforce and patient care.

Research Question: How does the availability of remote work options influence employee     motivation and subsequently impact employee performance in a hybrid workplace setting? Purpose: The purpose of this research is to delve into the dynamics involved in hybrid work environments and evaluate the factors that contribute to employee motivation and consequently, performance. The research aims to determine how intrinsic, extrinsic and other facilitators influence employee motivation in these recently implemented work environments. Additionally, it seeks to explore two perspectives: that from an employee perspective and from a managerial perspective.  Method: A qualitative research method was employed in this thesis, with empirical data being collected through semi-structured interviews with managers and employees who work in office-based roles. Additionally, this study examines the relevant motivation theories to help understand the interview findings, providing a comprehensive framework for analyzing employee motivation in the context of hybrid work.  Conclusion: The employee interview respondents indicate that fulfillment of autonomy,   relatedness and work-life balance are crucial for maintaining motivation in a hybrid work setting. Although overall performance levels did not experience significant changes, managers reported encountering delays and challenges during the initial transition to remote work. Competence was one of the basic needs with little to no evidence of being impacted, however work efficiency tended to decline in a remote setting.